Shwartzman 'better than Mick Schumacher'

Robert Shwartzman

(GMM) There are doubts about whether Mick Schumacher can take the final step to Formula 1.

The 21-year-old Ferrari junior, whose father is the seven time world champion Michael Schumacher, stepped up to Formula 2 last year, finishing just twelfth overall for the top Prema team.

But so far in 2020, the German is just ninth overall – while his Russian teammate Robert Shwartzman, also a Ferrari junior, is currently third in his maiden F2 campaign.

"Shwartzman is definitely better at the moment," former F1 driver JJ Lehto told Iltalehti newspaper.

"Schumacher has the name, but he is yet to reach the level that many people expected.

"Shwartzman is definitely first on the list," Lehto added.

That 'list' could be getting made by Ferrari, especially as Kimi Raikkonen looks to be nearing the end of the road at the Ferrari-linked Alfa Romeo team.

"We are just too f***ing slow," the 2007 world champion said after qualifying dead last at Silverstone.

"What can we do in a week? Or in two or three weeks? There is no simple solution to this," Raikkonen added.

In conversation with Bild newspaper, former F1 driver Nick Heidfeld listed F1's young stars of the future as Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Lando Norris.

"Mick is certainly not where the drivers I just talked about are," Heidfeld said.

"But that is also not possible on the path he is currently on in Formula 2. I don't even want to compare him like that. He's been under enough scrutiny already.

"With his achievements and his current development, anything is possible," Heidfeld added.